Summer arrived on Wednesday with a blaze, and that meant one thing: Everyone wanted to get into the water to cool down.

Unfortunately, for Southwest Michigan that meant tragedy early in the summer season. A 3-year-old girl drowned at South Beach in South Haven on Wednesday, and a young man lost his life when he jumped off the pier in St. Joseph on Tuesday. Also on Tuesday, a toddler was rushed to Bronson Methodist Hospital after nearly drowning at an apartment complex pool.

Summer has its glories, and so does the cool relief of Lake Michigan and area pools, but we urge everyone to take precautions this summer to be safe and to keep your loved ones safe as we all head out for a swim. The big lake demands respect with its unending vista, but so does every inland lake, neighborhood swimming hole and wading pool.

The National Weather Service reported there were 15 drowning deaths in the Great Lakes in 2011 through September of that year, as well as 68 water rescues. The majority of those drownings took place in Lake Michigan. And, when Gov. Rick Snyder proclaimed May as Water Safety and Drowning Prevention Month in 2011, he noted that drowning is the No. 2 leading cause of accidental death for children age 14 and under in the United States and that almost 3,600 children go to the emergency room after near-drowning incidents each year.

Being in the water in the summertime is fun. No doubt about it. But, being in — or even near — the water requires preparation and vigilance.

* Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.

* Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.

* Maintain constant supervision.

* Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate water orientation and learn-to-swim courses.

* If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.

* Avoid distractions when supervising children around water.

*If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.

* Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.

* Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

* Enroll in water safety, first aid and CPR courses to learn how to respond to emergencies

It's all practical, commonsense advice. Sometimes in the summer we want to avoid practical and commonsense and just have fun. In this case, being practical and using commonsense can help ensure that summer remains fun for everyone.